BIOGRAPHY

Best known as the author of Pollyanna, Eleanor Porter was born in Littleton, New Hampshire. She was the daughter of Francis Fletcher Hodgman and Llewella French Woolson Hodgman. His mother was a descendant of Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony and his father was a pharmacist.  

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Eleanor attended public schools, but due to health problems she dropped out of high school and continued her studies with private tutors. At first, she pursued a career in music, but at a young age she also showed signs of talent in writing.

She studied singing privately in Boston, attending the New England Conservatory of Music, and sang in church choirs, concerts, and taught private lessons. In addition to teaching music, she was a member of the Congregationalist Church and active in several organizations, including the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Boston Author's Club.